dom, broken by the nervous excitement of happy couples. Adelina sat on a ha

vault. Her criteria were simple: citizen, legally single, and will

onfusion, if not outright hostility. An hour passed. The clock on the wall ticked with agonizing slowness. S

ve up, the main doors swung

his powerful frame. He moved with a predatory grace, flanked by two men in similar-though less expensive-suits who scanned the room with watchfu

ed in and spoke in a low, urgent tone. "Mr. Knight's fiancée, Ms. Isabelle

tion, but a muscle in his jaw tighten

a deep, quiet rumble that carried unmist

uch short notice, finding a suitable re

s narrowed. A

pped directly in front of Damien Knight, forcing him to acknowledge her. She had to tilt he

tly even. "You need a bride. I need

she had just grown a second head. One of them took a

t time-not just seeing her, but assessing her. He took in her simple clothes, the lingering paleness from her

" he asked, voice d

ter the ceremony, we can go our separate ways. Our assets will remain separate. In

of his dark eyes. The corner of his mouth tilted in a barely perc

nded hi

ibration that seemed to settle de

r, cooler hand in his. Hi

she said. J